Spanish word for "the Bard," as in Shakespeare?

[Hank Fielding]

Hi, all—

I'm new to this, so apologies in advance for any gaffes!

Just wondering whether there's a standard Spanish usage for referring to Shakespeare as "the Bard." (Of course, I understand his status isn't necessarily as high in Spanish- as in English-speaking countries; but still . . . ) In a note to friend, just joking around, I referred to him as "El Vate," but that was merely sort of a shot in the dark. Alternatively, I'd be curious to know whether any Spanish writer (Cervantes?) has his/her own honorific.

Any thoughts? All notions gratefully received!

Many thanks/Hank

[aleCcowaN]

Welcome, Hank!

Shakespeare---> el Bardo (sometimes adding "de Stratford", though many add "del Avon" or even "de Avon")

Cervantes ---> el manco de Lepanto (he was left one-armed in the Battle of Lepanto). We was called in his times "el príncipe de los ingenios" -prince of literary witticism- but lately appellatives as such were not suitable to modern and contemporary tastes.

It was common in schools to mock such epithets: "el manco del espanto" ("the scary one-handed") or in recent times "el gran bardo de Avon" ("the brawl in Avon") in my neck of the woods.